On her own (Chapter 2)

((Continued from "Violent Changes (Chapter 1)" ))

Two years later

Jamie yawned as the first hint of day crept in through the closed shutters. It was second nature to her to wake with the sun. Almost like an alarm clock-

Except no radio came on. No music blaring. No morning DJs being way too perky for an early hour. She couldn't hit the snooze button for ten more minutes. She was awake, and that was how she was going to stay.

It had been two years since Jamie had found her way here on graduation night. Reluctant at first to be apprenticed, not wanting to make that commitment, Jamie had simply lived with Raina. The two of them had put inquiries around, asking for information about Jamie's classmates. Still no word came, and it was with a heavy heart that Jamie became Raina's apprentice.

Jamie still hadn't completely given up hope of getting back. She stayed up late, reflecting, wondering, pondering. What was going on with her parents? Her sister would have graduated by now. Her dogs, how were they? Where was everyone else in her class? Here, or home? Was she stuck here for good? Who was that man, and what had he done?

So many questions. Not enough answers.

A sudden weight on her chest made Jamie sit up. Lucky, her tricolored cat, had jumped onto the bed. She purred and Jamie scratched her head. A woman in the village who Raina and Jamie had helped treat had given Lucky as a gift. Raina didn't care for cats, so Lucky had become Jamie's pet. She enjoyed the spunky cat's company.

Lucky was nibbling Jamie's fingers. She finally got herself out of bed and scooped her up. Jamie tended to treat Lucky like a dog. Having three dogs growing up did that to you. Thankfully, Lucky was rough-and-tumble and didn't mind.

Jamie walked over to the washbin and mirror in one corner of her room. Placing Lucky on the table, she splashed water on her face and lathered it in the greasy soap that Ryona the Tallower had given her last month in exchange for some herbs. She looked up at herself, the sudden motion causing Lucky to meow.

Her brown hair was greasier and dirtier than it had ever been back home. Her face was never really clean, and every so often she had an outbreak of acne. Her hands, once smooth and unblemished, were now covered in callouses, nicks, and cuts. On the other hand, the black circles under her eyes from sleepless nights in high school were gone, her green eyes were still shining and sparkly, her skin had a healthy tan, her body was leaner than it had ever been (even in the height of crew season), and she smiled. That was most important.

If it hadn't been for the aching homesickness that plagued her every time she tried to go to sleep, she might have said she was completely happy.

She walked away from the mirror and began to dress for the day; brown all over. A long battle between herself and Raina had been fought. Jamie had wanted to wear pants, Raina wanted her to wear the traditional skirt. They'd wound up compromising. Jamie wore long robes.

With Lucky perched on her shoulder - the cat loved it there - Jamie walked into the dining area/work place. Raina had already lit a fire, so Jamie walked over to start breakfast.

She was halfway through her feeble attempt at making pancakes when she realized something was wrong. Raina hadn't greeted her. Jamie turned around and saw the old healer slumped over the table.

Jamie sprinted over there, Lucky falling to the ground from her perch. The cat gave Jamie a dirty look, but Jamie was too intent on studying Raina to notice. She did everything Raina had ever taught her to do with an unconscious person. Check the pulse, check for breathing, tug a limb, and her own addition: Mouth-to-mouth. None of it worked. She sank to the floor and sobbed. Raina had been her only friend, save Lucky.

After she'd cried for a good five minutes, Jamie stood up and noticed a cup in Raina's hand. She took it, and even from a distance she could smell something unusual from Raina's normal tea. Her heart beat faster. Raina was old, and Jamie had assumed it was a natural death. But she was beginning to suspect it was more than it appeared...

After hours of pouring over books, Jamie had the answer. A'aen venom. It would have provided a change in Raina's tea that she wouldn't have noticed, her taste buds being old, her nose having deteriorated. It killed no matter what, but how fast depended on the amounts of venom the victim ingested. It was possible that this had been a one time thing, but it was more likely that the a'aen venom had been slowly added to Raina's food. It could easily be mistaken for a natural death.

Except if the killer was careless...

Jamie picked up the cup of tea that Raina had been drinking. There was about a half a cup left. This must have been the dose that did her in. Jamie felt the sadness wash over her again. She had always thought that Raina was frailer than she let on, but had blamed it on old age. Now she knew that the a'aen venom had done it. The question is, she thought, how long was she drinking poisoned tea? Was it before or after I came?

Then another thought came to her that chilled her straight to the bone. What if this started when I came? What if someone wanted Raina out of the way to get to me?

People in the area knew she was different. They just thought she'd grown up in a far-off country. They had no idea of her real origins. No one did now that Raina was dead.

But what if someone else does know? Jamie thought. What if the person who poisoned Raina was the same person who brought me here?

((Continued in "Enter Anthony (Chapter 3)" ))